US 11,681,850 B2
Multi-patterning graph reduction and checking flow method
Nien-Yu Tsai, Taichung (TW); Chin-Chang Hsu, Banqiao (TW); Wen-Ju Preet Yang, Hsinchu (TW); and Hsien-Hsin Sean Lee, Duluth, GA (US)
Assigned to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd., Hsin-Chu (TW)
Filed on May 21, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/327,343.
Application 17/327,343 is a continuation of application No. 16/587,700, filed on Sep. 30, 2019, granted, now 11,017,148.
Application 16/587,700 is a continuation of application No. 15/255,489, filed on Sep. 2, 2016, granted, now 10,430,544.
Prior Publication US 2021/0279398 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. G06F 30/30 (2020.01); G06F 30/398 (2020.01); G03F 1/36 (2012.01); G06F 119/18 (2020.01)
CPC G06F 30/398 (2020.01) [G03F 1/36 (2013.01); G06F 2119/18 (2020.01); Y02P 90/02 (2015.11)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of generating a plurality of photomasks for a photolithographic process, comprising:
generating a circuit graph representative of a circuit layout having a plurality of conductive lines, wherein the circuit graph comprises a plurality of vertices including a first vertex and a second vertex not directly connected to the first vertex, and a plurality of edges, wherein each of the plurality of vertices is representative of a corresponding one of the plurality of conductive lines, and wherein each of the plurality of edges is representative of a spacing between the conductive lines less than an acceptable minimum distance;
reducing the circuit graph by combining the first vertex of the circuit graph with the second vertex of the circuit graph, wherein the first vertex represents a first conductive line of the circuit layout and the second vertex represents a second conductive line of the circuit layout, wherein the first vertex and the second vertex have a largest separation, wherein the separation is defined as a sum of edges separating two vertices;
performing an n-pattern conflict check on the reduced circuit graph; and
generating a plurality of photomasks based on a result of the n-pattern conflict check.